CLEVELAND, Ohio - "The Middle" began its nine-season run in September 2009 squarely in the middle, humorously addressing the struggles of a middle-class, middle-aged woman in the Midwest. And that's where the ABC comedy has remained throughout its acclaimed run. And that's where the series will end with an hour finale airing at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 22, on WEWS Channel 5.
The writers aimed right down the middle - the center of what the show always has been about - when crafting a farewell for Frankie Heck (Bay Village native Patricia Heaton), her husband, Mike (Neil Flynn), and their three children, Axl (Charlie McDermott), Sue (Eden Sher) and Brick (Atticus Shaffer).
"When I read the script for the last episode, I thought it was just absolute perfection," Heaton said during a telephone interview. "The very last line of the show is amazing. And I said to the writers, 'That must have been the first thing you thought of when you started writing the show.' And they said, 'No, it just occurred to us as we were writing that, of course, that's how it should end.' "
The last hour begins with the Hecks preparing for a road trip to Denver, where Axl will start his new job and his new life away from home. While it has been established and accepted (sort of) that one of the Heck kids is leaving the nest, there still will be plenty of emotional turns before the conclusion of this journey.
"The ending really is a terrific, ideal moment," Heaton said. "It's perfectly in line with what the Hecks have been going through, and it also reflects the ending of the show. Let's just say that the ending is about as 'Middle' as it gets."
Questions about both Frankie and Mike, all three kids and even the consistently forgotten blue bag (a running gag) remain as we enter the home stretch for a series that always has been about home.
"The stories that can be wrapped up are satisfactorily wrapped up, touching on things that have been going on for the last nine years," Heaton said. "It was quite moving while we were shooting it. I haven't seen it yet. I won't see it until it airs, and I'm sure watching the finale will stir up all of those emotions again."
It has been a time of mixed emotions for Heaton. She is enjoying the free time but missing her co-stars, who became something of a second family.
"Absolutely bittersweet," she said. "We all agreed it was time to go. There's a misconception that it was canceled, but, really, it was the writers and the cast all deciding that this was a good time to bow out. But, having made that decision, this was nine years together, and we really enjoyed being together. There are a lot of emotions swirling around right now."
Before "The Middle," Heaton was best known for her portrayal of Debra Barone on "Everybody Loves Raymond" (CBS, 1996-2005). She won two of her three Emmys for playing Debra (the third was for her culinary program "Patricia Heaton Parties").
And she wouldn't mind returning to the series grind.
"Sure, I'd think about another series," Heaton said. "I like to work. I like the structure that comes with a job. So I'm looking for the next thing to do. But it would have to be really solid and special and challenging. I've been so spoiled by having such great writers."
Between "Raymond" and "The Middle," Heaton, 60, has spent 18 years on hit shows. But she knows how tricky finding just the right series can be.
"Remember, 'Raymond' was the fourth sitcom for me, so there were three failures in a row before that," she said. "And then, between 'Raymond' and 'The Middle,' there was a failed Fox comedy with Kelsey Grammer called 'Back to You,' which was written by the people who give you 'Modern Family.' So you might think you have a surefire thing, but you never know."
Although always embraced by critics and viewers, "The Middle" tended to be underrated and overlooked (particularly by the Emmys and other awards).
"I think that's true, but I think there are some obvious reasons," Heaton said. "One is that there are just so many shows on right now, and you see 'Orange Is the New Black' competing with network comedy shows. And it's the really out-there shows that tend to get recognized. And we're kind of a nicer family show, and they don't tend to get the attention."
Emmy may not have noticed how cleverly and deeply "The Middle" was digging into life in Orson, Indiana, but the fans did.
"I always go back to the writing," Heaton said. "We started with fully fleshed-out three-dimensional characters. They were authentic. They weren't just stereotypes plucked out of the comedy closet. And that authenticity resonated with people. 'Raymond' and 'The Middle' both had that, and that's why they grew and deepened every year, instead of getting shallow and silly."
And it made the Hecks relatable.
"Aside from illustrating the struggles of middle-American families, the writers really touched on what couples go through," Heaton said. "That happened on 'Raymond,' too. The writers recognized what was happening in our lives and gave it to the Hecks. That's what made it work. We recognized ourselves in the Hecks."
PREVIEW
The Middle
What: An hour series finale for the comedy starring Bay Village native Patricia Heaton.
When: 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 22.
Where: ABC (WEWS Channel 5)